cannabisnews.com: New Trial Shows Cannabis Works New Trial Shows Cannabis Works Posted by FoM on September 03, 2001 at 09:12:09 PT By Geraint Smith, Science Correspondent Source: London Evening Standard Cannabis can have a real role in reducing chronic, long-term pain, according to the first results from a hospital trial. The trial at Great Yarmouth's James Paget Hospital looked at the response of 23 patients to measured doses of the various active compounds found in cannabis. All were suffering chronic, long-term pain on which all other treatments including morphine had failed. Half had multiple sclerosis, the remainder had a variety of causes of pain including spinal injury and surgery. They were asked to assess their pain on a scale from zero to 10, the highest rating being unbearable, "the worst pain you could imagine", Dr William Nortcutt told the British Association Annual Science Conference at Glasgow University. The drug was administered as a spray under the tongue. Their self-reported-pain was traced as a graph as they took different active compounds - known as cannabinoids - or placebos, which had no effect. The graphs showed that it was the compounds that were having the effect. Dr Nortcutt said: "Several patients had a dramatic effect. They reported that their pain went from a 10 level to zero. We had responses from that down to helping sleep. "Only three patients did not benefit - one who had to leave the trial because she could not stand the side effects, one for whom there were protocol violations and we had to withdraw, and one on whom it simply had no effect." People could have taken doses of the drug which would have given them the sort of high experienced by recreational drug smokers, he said."One or two of the early patients pushed it to see what the high was, but having done so, said that they were already trashed by their pain and didn't want to sit round being stoned all day. They wanted to get on with their lives," he said. "They were fed up with being immobilised. One is working again in an executive capacity, one is looking after a child successfully, several are driving again, one actually told me the other day that he'd gone up a ladder with a power tool to cut a hedge." These were things that would have been impossible for them without treatment, he said. However, he added it was too early to recommend use of the drug and more tests were still being conducted. Source: London Evening Standard (UK)Author: Geraint Smith, Science CorrespondentPublished: September 3, 2001Copyright: 2001 Associated Newspapers Ltd.Contact: letters standard.co.ukWebsite: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by schmeff on September 04, 2001 at 08:46:24 PT Memo to Dr. Barry McHalf-free Which one is Dr William Nortcutt, Cheech, or Chong?HaHaHaHaHa. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by jokkidon on September 03, 2001 at 20:58:37 PT: Garlic Pill analogy. Please cast your informed minds back to the time (only a few years back) that corporate drug manufacturers tried to prosecute growers of garlic and promoting it for its medicinal value (as an anticarcinogen).Anyone as anxious to avoid a similar possible scenario occuring with MaryJane? Bear in mind, there is an incomperable stigma attached to intoxicating Cannabis strains (even worse than having "Garlic Breath"! Guffaw, Hoho hoo hee har har...I kid you not).MMMM....Pizza topped with Onions, Garlic, Olives, Capers, Oregano, AND Holy Herb...Now there is food for thought! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Enx on September 03, 2001 at 15:47:50 PT The lack of media coverage I live in the UK and I'm rather dissapointed by the level of media coverage that such studies recieve. The importance of any other drug in reducing chronic pain, from the "worst pain you could imagine" to zero where people are able to do things that once would have been impossible, would make headlines as a triumph for pain relief. But instead because its cannabis people immediately think about all the negative information that has been produced regarading it. The scary thing is most people do this automatically without a second thought. People have been told over and over about the evils of cannabis that they are not willing to open their minds a little to any new information about it, even if it could help people suffering in agony. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Alisn Myrden on September 03, 2001 at 13:08:42 PT: The message is clear... We'll learn 'em. Was/is only a matter of time and how much or how little homework people want to do. Anything can be frightening when it is unresearched. Ignorance is always bliss...Check out what it did for pain relief for me. I have a page specifically about all of the HUNDREDS of pharmaceuticals that I have tried over the years on our Website. It will surprise you to learn to what lengths some of us go to, so as to NOT experience pain. What would you do ?? Help us to EDUCATE others. Please. The Medical Marijuana Mission [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Jose Melendez on September 03, 2001 at 11:17:06 PT: bet you won't see this on CNN I would almost bet this story gets NO U.S. press. Hope I'm wrong about that... Arrest the Prohibition Industry - buy, sell or quit drugs online narcosoft.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on September 03, 2001 at 10:37:35 PT: More News Coming On Friday at the American Academy of Pain Management meeting in Arlington, VA, Dr. Geoffrey Guy, president of GW Pharmaceuticals will announce the results of the Phase 2 clinical trials of cannabis-based medicine extracts undertaken in the UK. For more information, see:http://www.aapainmanage.org/AAPM/Confrnce/conf2001.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Galileo on September 03, 2001 at 10:04:45 PT scientific inquiry Religious, philosohical, and political intellectual midgets existed during my time and have returned in full force today. They also have the power elite on their side. What a shame that it will tke 350 years for them to come around. Sie la Vie [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by E. Johnson on September 03, 2001 at 09:56:33 PT The mythical so-called high The marijuana "high" has been so mythologized, partly thanks to users, that it even interferes in a medical trial.Well, God forbid that medicine should make anyone feel good or happy.Medicine doesn't concern itself with positive symptoms, only with the cessation of negative ones.Maybe that's a big part of the problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by auto on September 03, 2001 at 09:56:23 PT More and more proof...yet it remains illegal. The proof keeps coming in...This is not the first study to prove that marijuana is an effective medical remedy and it wont be the last. This drug is so benign and yet so effective. Amazing thing is that while the proof continues to disprove the propaganda that surrounds cannabis, the plant remains illegal. Alcohal has zero medical benefits, in fact it ruins more lives than it helps and yet it is legal.The propaganda machine is heating up again...When will the madness stop? when will america begin to embrace rather than shutout the amazing benefits and consumer products that this humble little plant provide for us? This plant saved my life and I believe that there are thousands of people just like me who have benefited positively from this plant. (not economically...only medically)People do not believe everything you are being told or read. The government is spending billions of dollars to keep this plant away from you and me. You have to wonder which special interest group or groups is behind this. Do the pharaceuticals make more money from the so called legal drugs? Are the timber and cotton industries scared? What is really going on here....this madness does not make any sense anymore...on another note...fuzzy math. amazing the republicans charged Gore with fuzzy math when it came to the federal budget during the election...well now the republican tax break now has our government in a financial deficit and they are now forced to dip into other accounts just to break even....who has the fuzzy math now huh George W? The dems wouls still have a surplus and a balanced budget and still be able to put extra funds into education and social security...The republicans only wanted us to believe they intended to do these things...Pull out the old Reagan charge card again huh republicans? if we dont have the money, lets just run up the debt...The american way right? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by lookinside on September 03, 2001 at 09:41:58 PT: this should make front page news here... fat chance... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment